UC Irvine Tops Nebraska 3-2 at Lincoln Regional

LINCOLN, Neb. ---Daniel Bibona pitched a career-high eight innings and Eric Pettis earned his 17th save of the season to tie the UC Irvine record as the Anteaters defeated host and top-seeded Nebraska, 3-2, in the Lincoln Regional Saturday before 8,646 at Hawks Field at Haymarket Park.

Bibona, a sophomore left-hander, struck out seven and walked two in improving to 9-3 on the season. Pettis, a sophomore right-hander, pitched a perfect ninth to earn his second save in as many nights at the regional as he tied the UCI single-season record of 17 saves set by Blair Erickson in 2004.

With the victory, UCI (40-16) will face the winner of the Nebraska/Oral Roberts elimination game Sunday at 4:05 p.m. (PDT). The game will be carried live on KUCI/88.9 FM.

Junior center fielder Ollie Linton's fourth home run of the season in the bottom of the fifth inning proved to be the difference in giving UCI the 3-2 lead.